Canada
United States
New Zealand
Australia
Mewtwo is one of the most iconic Legendaries in Pokemon. In the original games, Mewtwo was a secret little reward for those of us that completed the game and decided to explore further in Kanto.
But since Pokemon GO was released in 2016, there has only been a limited number of ways to nab Mewtwo.
Mewtwo Pokemon GO Raids
Most times, when you want to catch a Legendary Pokemon, you need to keep your eyes peeled for Raids.
Currently (May 2022), there are no Mewtwo Raids in Pokemon GO, but this may change at any given moment.
Niantic periodically and regularly rotates which Legendary Pokemon show up in Raids. So, check the in-game Pokemon News every day, because you never know when Mewtwo Raids may be announced.
I also recommend joining communities on Reddit and Discord in order to stay informed.
Catching Shadow Mewtwo
Now you’re probably wondering how to catch a Mewtwo in Pokemon GO if it isn’t a current Raid Legendary, or if it is even possible.
There is one other way to catch Mewtwo, well a shadow version at least. Unfortunately, this way will also only work occasionally. So you’ll need to be patient.
Rocket Special Research
Everybody over level 8 will have Special Team Rocket Research Tasklines that they can play through.
Completing these quests will net you a Super Rocket Radar, which will allow you to face Giovanni and allow you to catch a Shadow Legendary.
You can check the news to see which Legendary Geovani will reward you. Shadow Mewtwo hasn’t been in rotation since February 2021, so we are due soon!
Note: When the Legendary rotates, more Rocket Missions will be added, so you do not need to save your Super Rocket Radar.
Should you Purify Shadow Mewtwo
No, you shouldn’t purify your Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon GO. There are a couple of reasons not to purify your Shadow Mewtwo, and many players agree with this assessment.
- Players can only obtain Shadow Mewtwo occasionally, making it much rarer than regular Mewtwo
- Shadow Mewtwo is stronger than a regular Mewtwo with Max IVs, so it performs better in Raid battles.
Even if you do not play Raid battles, if you purify your Shadow Mewtwo, you may not have the chance to grab another for another year or more so it’s better just to keep it.
Shiny Shadow Mewtwo
Currently, there is no way to get a Shiny Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon GO. Other Shadow Pokemon can be Shiny, however, the player base has yet to see a Shiny Shadow Mewtwo, meaning it likely doesn’t exist.
Shiny Mewtwo does exist in Pokemon GO, but it is exceedingly rare. Mewtwo has to be a featured Raid Pokemon, and you must be extremely lucky to encounter a shiny one.
Mewtwo Trades
Finally, you can always trade a Mewtwo with a friend. Once a Pokemon is traded in Pokemon GO, it cannot be traded back so your friend has to be ready to part with that Pokemon for good.
There are players that have been playing long enough to have multiple Mewtwos, and sometimes even multiple Shadow Mewtwos, so if you ask around you may get lucky!
More Pokemon Guides
